Nigeria’s Menstrual Health Forum Targets Safer, Cheaper Products

For millions of Nigerian women and girls, menstruation is more than a monthly biological cycle—it is a struggle shaped by poverty, rising prices, inadequate water and sanitation facilities and limited access to safe menstrual products.

These challenges took centre stage at the two-day Nigeria Menstrual Health Forum in Lagos, where government, regulators, manufacturers, civil society and development partners converged to drive standards and policy reforms aimed at making menstrual products safe, affordable and accessible.

The September 3rd–4th forum, themed “Driving Standards and Policy Reform for Affordable Menstrual Products,” was funded by the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) and led by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and other stakeholders.

The urgency is underscored by estimates that 37 million Nigerian women and girls experience period poverty, while about 24 per cent of schoolgirls regularly miss classes because of inadequate menstrual materials and WASH facilities. Rising inflation has also pushed the price of menstrual pads from about N200–N400 three years ago to N500–N750 or more.

UNFPA Gender/GBV Management Specialist, Dr Zubaida Abubakar, said menstrual health must go beyond simply distributing pads.

“Improving menstrual health was not only about providing menstrual products, but also about ensuring that women and girls had access to accurate information, adequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and an environment where they could manage menstruation safely and with dignity.”

She said the forum would advocate regulatory and fiscal reforms, including reviewing taxes on menstrual products and raw materials, while seeking Nigeria’s active participation in ISO Technical Committee 338 on menstrual products.

The public-health stakes are significant. Some women and girls reportedly resort to old cloth, mattress foam and reused disposable pads when commercial products are unaffordable. Stakeholders warned that prolonged exposure to substandard products and poor menstrual hygiene could contribute to infections and other health concerns.

Deputy Director, Child Development Department, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Maryam Shuaibu, stressed that standardisation was essential because not every product on the market meets required quality benchmarks.

“It’s not just about having products in the market, but we want to ensure that those quality meets the standards and quality that are desired to be used by women and girls in Nigeria.”

She said Nigeria’s National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management 2025–2030 provides a framework for coordinated action, but requires wider adoption and implementation across the states.

SON Director-General, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, said affordability must go hand-in-hand with quality.

“The challenge before us is not simply how to make menstrual products available. It is how to ensure that the products available are safe, fit for purpose, consistently produced, accessible and affordable.”

A major proposal emerging from the discussions was the establishment and expansion of pad banks in schools, allowing girls from vulnerable households to obtain menstrual products without missing classes. Abubakar called on governments, CSOs, donors, foundations, philanthropists and financially capable parents to support the initiative.

The forum also showcased reusable menstrual products from local manufacturers, highlighting their potential economic and environmental benefits.

Beyond immediate access, stakeholders see menstrual health reform as an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s manufacturing sector. Meeting international standards could enable local producers to expand across Africa, create jobs and contribute to economic growth.

The expected outcomes include stronger regulatory oversight, improved product certification, tax and fiscal reforms, increased local production, better WASH facilities, expanded school pad banks and greater public awareness.

The next step, stakeholders said, is to translate the forum’s commitments into clear policy actions, regulatory enforcement and sustainable financing. With continued collaboration among government, SON, NAFDAC, UNFPA, manufacturers, development partners and civil society,

Ultimately, the forum seeks to ensure that menstruation does not force a girl out of school, a woman out of work or any Nigerian to choose between affordability and safety.